Sinkiang
Sinkiang (sometimes spelled Sin Kiang or Sin-Kiang) is an ancient city located somewhere in Xinjiang near the borders of the Gansu province of China, one of Earth's well-known countries and oldest civilizations. Yet, there existed an abandoned tomb-like city with the similar name Sinkiang and a true history, found within Outworld, and the city itself houses a magic crystal known as the Eye of Chitian. It is featured as the final level in Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. Sin Kiang in Earthrealm During China's early history, the lost city of Sin Kiang has been once ruled by the three queens who were greatly revered as great rulers of this city, and even more as some kind of goddesses with strange powers and a long life span. The people of the land thrived for years before the city became abandoned for thousands of years. The only possible reasons for why the city has become empty are because the city has no more rulers left in line to claim the throne and the citizens ritualistically committed mass suicide or after the death of the city's last queen, the people left the city and moved somewhere else. The reasons for that are still unclear. Now, centuries later, scientists and archaeologists with the full consent and permission of the Chinese government, have excavated the site as they explored Sin-Kiang for just about anything, bones, statues, artifacts, to learn more about the city's history. Some of them even claimed the city itself is the cradle of Earth's civilization, but that was just a theory. Amazingly, among the archaeological finds is a secret temple with a strange dragon symbol. Inside the temple lies a stone circular ring-like object with on it, inscribed writings of a foreign dialect that is unlike all Earth's languages. The object was believed to be a doorway to another dimension. The archaeologists and scientists continued to study more about the city. Major Jackson Briggs, after informing his fellow Special Forces operative Gemini of Kano's whereabouts, heads to the lost city of Sin Kiang in China to finally bring down the notorious Black Dragon criminal to justice. Once he arrived there, he found himself being attacked by Chinese soldiers; some of the army officials of the Chinese government that were in charge of the excavations conducted at Sin Kiang, became corrupt and joined Kano and his gang, not realizing that they were being used as pawns in Kano's plans. Jax overcame the corrupt Chinese Army soldiers, retrieved the gems of Sin-Kiang's three sovereigns and used them as keys to open the door to a hidden temple inside the ruins of the lost city. Once there, Jax discovered a huge, stone ring-shaped object surging with energy, then confronted Tremor, who was guarding the portal to Outworld for Kano, and defeated the ninja. Jax informed Gemini via comlinks about the relic. Jax read that the artifact used to be a gateway leading to another world. Gemini warned him to go through the vortex without backup, but Jax told her that there wasn't enough time to wait for backup and insisted that he must go to the other world and stop Kano from executing his plans of world domination. He promised her that he would be back home in one piece. Jax would find the secrets behind the history and founding of the city of Sin Kiang including the foreign language inscribed within the city's ruins, from its original counterpart within the realm of Outworld, but his primary objective was to stop Kano, bring him to justice, and return home to Earthrealm. Sinkiang in Outworld The city of Sinkiang before its counterpart in Earthrealm, was built by the two kings and three queens during the time of Outworld's first ruler known as Onaga the Dragon King who unified the whole realm. The five founders of the city were named Kang, Tsung, Eliza, Rihiana and Adrina. They along with hundreds of followers constructed the entire city underground. But the land was safe and everyone with all the races of Outworld lived in prosperity. Until Shao Kahn, Onaga's former adviser, poisoned the Dragon King and stole the throne of Outworld from him. The realm itself was in the state of chaos and oppression. The city of Sinkiang was now being only used as a safe haven, a sanctuary for all Kahn's enemies and victims. The five founders ordered the city's gates closed and watched over at all times, and kept all the subterranean passageways in and out of the city secret. Also they all created a portal that take them to the other side should their defenses fail and Sinkiang falls. Eliza with Rihiana and Adrina agreed to go to another realm while the brave warriors Kang and Tsung say behind and guard the city with their lives. Centuries passed since the two kings of Sinkiang died and the city abandoned, the portal there remains hidden and sealed within the city, this prevents Shao Kahn from finding the portal and use it to lead his army to enter and conquer another realm outside Outworld. Meanwhile, the three queens took it upon themselves and built a new city of Sinkiang (Sin Kiang) with the help of small numbers of followers native to Earthrealm. It was made to honor the original city of Sinkiang in their home, and new beginnings. Centuries later, Jax Briggs passed through a portal in Sin Kiang back in Earthrealm and arrived in Outworld during his pursuit of Kano. Yet he found himself in a different yet original Sin Kiang (Sinkiang) which had the same inscriptions as the ruins of Sin-Kiang in Earthrealm. This explained the portal and the city's true history. But Jax's primary concern was to hunt down Kano. Jax avoided the ancient traps within the city's ruins, and obtained the gems of two of Sinkiang's five honored founders to open the door into the next area in the city. Jax entered a chamber within the city of Sinkiang and stumbled across a magic crystal called the Eye of Chitian before facing Kano who was there to try to steal the crystal and use its power. After a vicious battle between the two, Jax defeated Kano and used the power of the crystal to transport both of them back to Earthrealm and brought Kano back into custody. This would prove to be a short-lived victory for Jax, however, as Kano eventually escaped from Special Forces custody and entered the Mortal Kombat tournament. Gallery Courtyard_of_Sin_Kiang.jpg|Courtyard within the ruins of Sin Kiang in Earthrealm. Sin-Kiang.jpg|A stone bridge is part of the lost city of Sin-Kiang that is now being excavated. Sin-Kiang_excavation_site.jpg|Modern day equipment and machinery placed within the now-excavated ruins of Sin Kiang. Sinkiang.jpg|The ancient city of Sinkiang (Sin Kiang or Sin-Kiang) in Outworld. Cages_in_Sinkiang.jpg|Jax Briggs comes across floating iron cages with dead bodies within the subterrain city of Sinkiang. Altars_of_Sinkiang.jpg|Jax Briggs discovers altars to King Kang and King Tsung, 2 of the 5 founders of the lost city of Sinkiang in Outworld. Courtyard_of_Sinkiang.jpg|Courtyards within the ruins of the underground city of Sinkiang in Outworld. Sin_Kiang_excavation_site.jpg|An ancient portal within the excavated ruins of Sin Kiang in Earthrealm. Category:Locations Category:Earthrealm Locations Category:Outworld Locations